Bryan Brothers Cyclone Windmill
circ 1924
As with many projects I did not start out with the intent of purchasing a windmill and restoring it. Having a windmill by the side of the dam in the backyard, however, was a vision and a plan I envisioned from the day I purchased the property over 20 years ago.
The day started in response to buying a seeder on ebay and travelling out to the property to pick it up after winning the auction. What I found was a property that appeared to have been previously owned by a hoarder and was now being cleared. The property had everything from large headers, vintage cars, trucks, and wooden wagons down to the smallest set of playing cards - it was akin to a tip, or a project guy’s paradise. I found myself making several trips with the truck out there and picked up a few odds and ends from the very friendly and helpful new owners. On the property I found several windmills in parts on the ground. I knew nothing about windmills but one in particular caught my eye. I think it was the full cast iron gearbox that attracted me the most; the fan was not attached and badly bent. The tail was a few feet away and the tower was on its side and also bent out of shape. I looked hard to find any other parts, such as a pump or anything else that could have been part of it as the parts I had identified were spread over quite an area. A closer look at the tail revealed the brand name and where it was from. The brand was Bryan Bros which meant nothing to me but on the reverse side of the tail was the town of manufacture which was Colac. This was the deal sealer for me as my family history had strong ties to Colac so it seemed like it was fate or destiny. So a deal was made along with a tank stand, a ladder that was made from solid steel, and some other assorted pieces. The sellers and some of their friends loaded the truck up for me and that was the start of the Windmill project.